Revel in these images

June 5, 2024 by
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We try to find interesting cookbook and food-related articles for our Members to read here on the EYB blog, but sometimes reading just seems like too much work. Therefore, today we're highlighting food photographs - no long story here; just gorgeous image after gorgeous image. The photographs are the winners of the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards,… read more

Food news antipasto

June 3, 2024 by
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Restaurant critics know a lot about food; it is an essential part of the job. That does not automatically mean they can cook, however. Knowing and doing are two different beasts, something that critic Ben McCormack well understands. Caught flatfooted when asked by his cleaner why there wasn't any food in his refrigerator, McCormack decided that he should try to… read more

Have we seen the last of QR code menus?

May 31, 2024 by
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Mobile phone displaying a QR code on top of the words "Mobile App" and a four out of five star menu and download button.
A recent survey by the market research firm Technomic found that after a seismic shift to QR code menus that began during the pandemic, restaurants seem to reversing the practice and are moving back to paper menus. The survey found that having QR codes made it less likely for people to dine at a particular restaurant. Overwhelmingly, diners preferred paper… read more

The vanishing lunch break

May 29, 2024 by
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This is a post that will likely only resonate with our US Members as it discusses a lament that is less common in many other countries: our workers' diminished lunch breaks. According to Megan Elias, associate professor at Boston University and author of Lunch: A History (The Meals Series), "Lunch has never been just a meal; the meal most often eaten in… read more

Food news antipasto

May 26, 2024 by
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Although not a chef or cookbook author, Morgan Spurlock made a splash in the food world with his 2004 documentary "Supersize Me", which cast a critical eye on the fast food industry and the effects of its products on human health. This week we learned the sad news that Spurlock died at the age of 53 from complications of cancer.… read more

Judge decrees that tacos are, indeed, sandwiches

May 24, 2024 by
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What food qualifies as a sandwich? The debate over this definition has resulted in heated arguments and even legal action. Whether hot dogs, gyros, or tacos count is a source of contention with voices on both sides declaring that they are right. Recently, a judge in Indiana settled the question (at least in that state) that tacos are sandwiches, and… read more

Luxury fruit: are you buying it?

May 21, 2024 by
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I enjoy buying quality ingredients to cook and bake with, reasoning that a splurge on a lovely steak or locally grown, perfectly ripe peach is no more expensive than a mediocre meal in a restaurant. That said, there are some food items that I just cannot fathom buying regardless of my curiosity, usually because of their exorbitant price. I'm talking… read more

Food news antipasto

May 19, 2024 by
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We start the weekly recap with a bit of sad news. One of New England's preeminent chefs, Jasper White, has died at the age of 69. White is credited with elevating the cuisine of Boston and the broader region by pairing fine dining techniques with local ingredients. Named best chef in the Northeast in the first-ever national James Beard Foundation… read more

Ready, set, grow!

May 19, 2024 by
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As gardening season ramps up for much of the Northern Hemisphere, hopeful gardeners gingerly plant all manner of fruits and vegetables in anticipation of a bumper crop of tomatoes, beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, and more. Earlier today I put in the majority of transplants and will be adding seeds tomorrow. One thing I love about gardening is it allows me… read more

What are your favorite festival foods?

May 17, 2024 by
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Although next weekend is the official kickoff for summer here in US, festivals, fairs, car shows, swap meets, concerts, and other mainly outdoor gatherings are already taking place. One thing all of these events have in common is that someone will be selling food from a concession stand or food truck. The usual fare where I live includes tacos (street… read more

Beware of Big Butter?

May 15, 2024 by
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It seems fitting that a couple of days after I post about the increased demand for cottage cheese, I spied another article about how the dairy industry is using social media partnerships to drive up their sales. It seems that people are not just rediscovering the joys of cottage cheese, they are being paid to promote cheese, butter, and other… read more

Food news antipasto

May 13, 2024 by
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Fans of the FX series The Bear were delighted to learn that Season 3 of the show would be airing beginning on June 27. In addition, the smash hit has been renewed for a fourth season, which will begin filming soon. The network stated that this season will follow Carmy, Richie, and Sydney as "they do what it takes to… read more

Kitchen perils demand a first aid kit

May 10, 2024 by
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Most chefs have scars that tell of kitchen mishaps: burns, cuts, and abrasions are a job hazard. Home cooks face these same perils and most of us also have physical reminders of injuries that occurred at the cutting board, cooktop, or oven. When I was in college, I worked at a pizza place and for the longest time I had… read more

Food news antipasto

May 6, 2024 by
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Are you brand loyal or do you seek out bargains with off-brand items? If the latter, you might want to check out Walmart's latest foray into upscale store-label products. The brand is named Bettergoods and is targeted at younger shoppers who want chef-quality items at affordable prices. Walmart hopes to roll out 300 items by autumn including "frozen foods, dairy… read more

How important is the recipe’s photo?

May 2, 2024 by
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These days it's rare to find a cookbook that isn't filled with dozens (if not hundreds) of gorgeous, perfectly-styled photographs that accompany the recipes. Not only do these photos make one's mouth water, they also provide valuable context for the recipe. I've frequently used an accompanying photo to clear up confusion on how a dish is to be assembled or… read more

How well do you know eggs?

May 1, 2024 by
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carton of eggs
Eggs are a staple food in nearly every cuisine, nearly indispensable in both cooking and baking. Although chicken eggs are the most commonly eaten kind today, throughout human history eggs from other birds were more popular. Plus our ancestors were eating eggs over 300,000 years ago! I learned these facts and more in Great British Chefs' comprehensive guide to eggs.… read more

Food news antipasto

April 28, 2024 by
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Are you Team Hydrox or Team Oreo? If you are the former, here is some news from Leaf Brands, maker of the chocolate sandwich cookie: it is planning an antitrust lawsuit against Mondelēz, the parent company of Oreo. Leaf Brands accuses the Oreo manufacturer of intimidating retailers and telling workers in stores to "hide, misplace or move Hydrox to less… read more

How to use beer in the kitchen

April 27, 2024 by
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Have you ever hosted a gathering and found yourself with leftover cans or bottles of beer that you don't plan on drinking? Instead of letting in languish in your refrigerator (it doesn't keep forever), Food & Wine's Merlyn Miller offers a bevy of ideas on how you can use it in your cooking and baking. The first suggestion is to… read more

Essential cookbooks

April 24, 2024 by
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What makes a cookbook essential? Is it one that covers broad swaths of territory, like Joy of Cooking, or one that keenly focuses on a smaller subject like Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables? Maybe it's a cookbook that changes the way an entire country cooks, like Mastering the Art of French Cooking did. Perhaps this whole line of… read more

Food news antipasto

April 21, 2024 by
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A group of people who are squatting in an unoccupied London building formerly occupied by a Gordon Ramsey restaurant have announced that they will remain in place despite a court order telling them to leave. The squatters, who identified themselves as the Anarchist Association London Branch, locked themselves in the York & Albany hotel and gastropub, situated just outside Regent's… read more

Rayner’s take on the latest food craze

April 19, 2024 by
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Last month I wrote about the latest TikTok food craze, the crookie, which a lot of you (understandably) didn't think looked very appetizing. The Guardian's food critic, Jay Rayner, gives us his take on this craze and the others that preceded it, noting that this type of super-hyped food has a long history. In the 17th century, fresh garden peas… read more

Why I love Top Chef 21 seasons later

April 18, 2024 by
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I have always enjoyed Top Chef since it first aired. I find I learn something new each episode and enjoy the camaraderie amongst the chefs. This season, as Darcie reported last year, Kristin Kish replaced Padma Lakshmi as the host and I am loving her in that role. She has been in the same shoes as the chefs and I… read more

Is preheating the oven necessary?

April 17, 2024 by
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oven dial
Almost every baking recipe begins with the words "Preheat the oven to NNN degrees," but is it really necessary to go through that step? Wouldn't it be more energy efficient to just put your food items in while the oven is heating? The answers to those questions depend on what you are making, says cookbook author Alice Zaslavsky. She explains… read more

It’s rhubarb season already?!

April 16, 2024 by
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My rhubarb plants are nearly ready to harvest, marking the earliest maturation since we moved to this location in late 2008. Glancing back at the posts about rhubarb's return as a harbinger of spring, the date when the post appeared has moved backward several weeks since 2014 when I started writing for the EYB blog. That year, the rhubarb post… read more

Food news antipasto

April 14, 2024 by
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Following a storm of negative social media posts, Momofuku has said that it won't enforce the trademark for 'chili crunch' or 'chile crunch'. “Over the past week, we have heard the feedback from our community and now understand that the term ‘chili crunch’ carries broader meaning for many,” the company said in a statement. Small business owners who had been… read more
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